Knitting machine



Sept. 13, p W BRlSTOW KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1952 4Sheets-Sheet l l t y `1 4 J j /2 ig" P E fo-- -3e s 32 i 2e 5 y |34/ glo 'Drl 2o zo la [4 FIG. l. 22 '282 INVENTOR.

i le PAUL w. BRISTOW,DECEASED,

- BY MILDRED s. BRI Tow,Ex CUIIRIX BY dauw, r

ATToRNE Sept. 13, 1955 P. w. BRisTow KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 29, 1952 INVENTOR.

PAUL W. BRISTOW, DECEASED, BY MILDRED S. BRISTROW, EXECUTRIX FIG. 2

BY MM# ATTORNEYS Sept. 13, 1955 P. W. BRISTOW 2,717,509 KNITTING MACHINEFiled March 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3.

INV T PAUL W. BRISTOW, DE S FIG. 4. BY MILDRED s. BmsTow, ExEcUTRlx BY@Magwvm RNEY ATTO

Sept. 13, 1955 P. W. BRlsToW 2,717,509

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l l m-ifiiu'iiifT @fun/umn I L lll lilllllllllnll $15 l will liv/linfa? will' VENTOR.

BY MILDRED S. BRISTOW, EXECUTRIX BY- /wfq l ATTORNEY PAUL W. BRISTDECEASED,

United States Patent O f KNITTING MACHINE Paul W. Bristow, deceased,late of Laconia, N. H., by Mildred S. Bristow, executrix, Laconia, N.H., assigner to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. I-I., acorporation of Massachusetts Application March 29, 1952, Serial No.279,342

11 Claims. (Cl. 66-14) This invention relates to a knitting method andmachine and has particular reference to the production of designs infabric knit at a plurality of feeds and by the use of needles formingboth rib and plain stitches, such designs being commonly designated asof Jacquard type.

One of the objects of the present invention is the production ofstockings, such as socks or anklets, having turned down cuis which whenworn will present multicolored designs to view. Assuming the productionof such a stocking on a superposed cylinder type of machine, and

that heels and toes are formed by needles when in the lower cylinder,designs of the type to which the invention relates will be formedprimarily by manipulations of needles in the upper cylinder, i. e.knitting what would normally be rib stitches. While the arrangement ofthe cylinders could obviously be inverted, it will be assumed in whatfollows that heels and toes are knit by needles when in the lowercylinder. Under such circumstances the particular designs involvedherein are provided by causing needles to be disposed in repetitivearrangements in the upper and lower cylinders, for example in a l x larrangement. The needles in the lower cylinder take yarns at both of thefeeds and consequently produce plain stitches in two-feed fashion, thestitches formed at the respective feeds alternating along each plainWale. The upper cylinder needles on the other hand are caused to takeyarns selectively at the two feeds and accordingly produce arrays of ribstitches which can be generally considered to form three types of areas:rst, areas which show on the inside of the fabric (or the outside of aturned-down top) substantially solely the yarn taken at one of thefeeds, secondly, those areas which show substantially solely the yarntaken at the other of the feeds, and third, areas in which along a walethe two yarns alternate so as to produce a speckled type of appearance.

The designs thus produced on the inside of the fabric involvesubstantially complete hiding of the loops produced by the lowercylinder needles, the rib wales being drawn closely together to give theappearances indicated. The type of stitch formation which has beengenerally described is not new but is generally referred to asJacquardtype stitching.

In the complete stocking, having a turned-down top presenting thisJacquard-type stitching, the leg and in- Step may carry designs of ribor links-links type. One of the objects of the present invention is theprovision of a machine in which Jacquard-type stitching may be providedin the top and links-links or other types' of designs may be provided inthe leg and instep.

A further object of the invention relates to the attainment of the twotypes of stitches just referred to utilizing a single selecting pointcontrolled, desirably, from a single pattern drum or othercylically-operating pattern device.

In accordance with the last stated object, however, the invention ismore generally applicable and relates even more broadly to improvedmethod and mechanism for pattern control.

More Specifically, it is one of the objects of the present 2,717,509Patented Sept. 13, 1955 invention to provide a cross-over type ofselection in which needles having one particular characteristic ofoperation at one feed will have a particular different characteristic atanother feed, with effective selection at both feeds. Appliedspecilically to the formation of Jacquard-type designs, the improvedcontrol causes needles to take yarns selectively at either feed and dueto that selection miss the yarn at the other feed.

The result just indicated is attained through the use of pattern jacksand associated auxiliary jacks which during operation have alternatepositions relative to the pattern jacks, the auxiliary jacks, in effect,providing a delayed memory for the selection which is effected on theprimary jacks, and after one feed is passed, these auxiliary jackscontrol conditions of operation at the next feed.

Still another object of the invention relates to the utilization of thesame pattern jacks for selection at two different levels whereby theircontrolling actions are differentiated. In particular, the jacks areselected at one level for the Jacquard-type design formation, and at adifferent level for effecting transfer of needles between the cylindersfor links-links work.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention particularly relatingto details of machine construction and operation will become apparentfrom the following description read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section through the cylinders and associatedparts of a superposed cylinder machine showing both conventionalelements and certain special elements involved in carrying out thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is an inside development of the cams and certain other elementscooperating with upper and lower sliders, pattern jacks and auxiliaryjacks, these elements together with needles being shown at the right ofthe cam development;

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing patterncontrolling elements involved in the machine, the sectional portions ofthis figure being taken on the plane generally indicated at 3 3 inFigure 4;

Figure 4 is a plan View, partly in section, of the elements shown inFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic elevation of a childs sock such as typicallyproduced by the machine; and

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the stitch formation in the top of thesock of Figure 5, the diagram showing the stitches as they would appearfrom the inside of the fabric as it is being formed, the progress ofstitch formation being from the bottom to the top of this figure.

The upper cylinder of the machine is indicated at 2 and is slotted at 4for the reception of the upper sliders 6 which are provided with upperbutts 8 and lower butts 10. In the machine specifically described thelower butts 10 are all long except for a panel of short butts on slidersassociated with sole needles, while the upper butts 8 on slidersassociated with sole needles are long except for I sole series.

The lower butts are differentiated in repetitive groups, for example ifa l x l arrangement of needles is to be used for the formation of theJacquard-type top, short and long butts alternate at 22.

Cooperating with the needles are the conventional arcuate sinkers 24.

Located above the upper sliders in the slots of the upper cylinder arepattern jacks 26, Each of these is provided with a series of patternbutts 32 at various selected levels, the jacks beinginitially providedwith a full complement of butts which may be selectively broken awayV toleave the required pattern butts 32. The lowerrnost of the butts,designated 32, has special functions, referred to hereafter, and is notused for pattern selection, this butt being present on each of thejacks. If, however, a picot welt similar to that described in theapplication of Paul W. Bristow, Serial No. 241,434, filed August ll,1951, was desired, all jacks except those which were to cause theirassociated needles to tuck or welt, would have a butt 32 above 32 at theproper height to be lowered by a cam such as 107. Above its'uppermostbutt each of the pattern jacks is provided with an extension 34. in theback of each jack are formed upper and lower notches 36 and 38,respectively. In these notches there are received rounded projectio-ns40 formed at the lower ends of auxiliary jacks 42 which are located indeepened portions of the upper cylinder slots behind the extensions 34of the pattern jacks. Each of these auxiliary jacks is provided with abutt 44 which extends outwardly over the upper end of the pattern jack.The jacks are held inwardly by spring bands which yield to permitrelative movements of the pattern and auxiliary jacks as will hereafterappear.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2, the lower forward stitch cam atthe main feed is indicated at 48 and the lower reverse stitch cam at 50,there being located between these the center cam 52. Clearing of needlesduring rotary knitting and during forward reciprocations is effected bythe action of cams 54 and 56 on the upper butts 2&1 of the lowersliders. The various cams just mentioned are associated with the mainfeed, yarn at which feed is fed at location 57. It will, of course, beunderstood that various yarns are fed at this feed and also at theauxiliary feed, the yarns being suitable for the various portions of thestockings produced.

Top cam S and stitch cam 69 are provided at the auxiliary feed whereyarn is fed at the location 61. Cams 62 and 64 effect clearing by theneedles in the lower cylinder following the auxiliary feed.

Heels and toes are formed in conventional fashion utilizing the raisingpickers 66 and 68 and the lowering picker 70 which is shown in Figure 2in its inactive position.

Stitch cam 72 acts on the knitting butts of upper sliders at the mainfeed and clearing of the needles in the upper cylinder following themain feed may be effected at certain times by the actions of cams '74and 76, though as will later appear clearing at this feed is controlledselectively by means other than cam 74 at certain times.

Upper sliders are moved upwardly at the auxiliary feed by cam '78 toposition them for further movement by auxiliary stitch cam 80. Clearingfoliowing the auxiliary feed is effected by cams S2 and 84, though atcertain times cam 82 is ineffective for this purpose.

Cam 86 is provided to move upper sliders upwardly for approach to stitchcam 72.

Transfers of needles from the lower cylinder to the upper cylinder arecontrolled by cams 8S and 90 and the usual cam 92 which serves todisengage needles from the upper ends of the lower sliders and also todisengage needles being transferred downwardly from the lower ends ofupper sliders. Cams 94 and 96 act on lower sliders to move themdownwardly following transfer.

Transfers of needles from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder arecontrolled by cams 98 and 100, the former being active only under someconditions as will hereafter appear. Following transfer the uppersliders are raised by cam 102.

The lowermost butts 32 of the pattern jacks 26 are acted upon by cams163, 104, 105, 111, 106, 108, 109

and 110. As will appear more fully hereafter, cams 106 and 109 arearranged to be withdrawn for certain operations.

A stack of cams indicated at 114, selectively controlled from a patterndrum, are arranged for action upon the selected butts 32 of the patternjacks.

Cams 116, 118 and 1211 are provided for action upon the butts 44 ofauxiliary jacks 42.

Referring now particularly to Figures 3 and 4, the selecting cams 114are shown as provided at the ends of a series of stacked and spacedlevers 117 pivoted -on a vertical pin 119 and having followerprojections 121 arranged to be acted upon by pins 123 in a pattern drum124. The drum 124 is splined at 126 to rotate with a mounting hub 128which is journalled upon a shaft 130. The arrangement is such that thepattern drum 124 may be located in either one of two vertical positions,vertical movements being imparted thereto by a lever 132 controlled fromthe main cam drum of the machine, the lever 132 having an end portionwhich underlies the drum 124. The pins 123 are selectively located inhorizontal rows of holes in the pattern drum, being held therein attimes when they are not in position to act upon levers 117 by coverplates one of which is indicated at 134 in Figure l. The rows of holesin the pattern drum are double the number of the levers 117 so that eachlever 117 may be acted upon by pins 123 in either of a pair of rows ofholes depending upon the alternative vertical positions of the patterndrum.A

lt will be evident that by this arrangement the effective control by thepattern drum is substantially increased over that securabie by a patterndrum having a fixed axial position and acting on the same number offollower levers.

To the upper end of the hub 123 there is secured the ratchet wheel 136,the teeth of which are arranged to be engaged by a pawl 133 under theaction of spring 140, the pawl being pivoted to a lever 142 which isjournalled on the shaft 130. The lever 142 is acted upon by a cam 144secured to the gear 146 through which the upper cylinder is rotated inconventional fashion. A springpressed brake 14S shown in Figure lprevents overrun of the pattern drum after it is advanced by the actionof pawl 138.

The starting of a stocking is conventional and need not be specificallydescribed. Usual welt formations may be involved with the provision of apress-off draw thread, picot formation, or the like. ln connection withthese the needles may be divided between the two cylinders, and it willbe assumed that at the beginning of patterning of the top alternateneedles are located in the lower cylinder with intermediate needles inthe upper cylinder, the separation of the needles having been effectedthrough the selective action of cam 9i) on the differentiated lowerslider butts 22. 1t may be noted that other than l x.l arrangements ofthe needles may be provided for the formation of Jacquard-type designsin the top, for example l x 2, or 2 x 2 setups may be used.

Assuming a 1 x 1 arrangement of needles, the formation of the designs inthe top will now be described, there being further assumed the feedingof yarns of different colors or of contrasting characteristics at themain and auxiliary feeds.

The formation of Jacquard-type .stitches may be best understood byconsidering first the paths of the pattern and auxiliary jacks. Thesejacks enter the right of Figure 2 with the projection 411 vof eachauxiliary jack in the notch 38 of the pattern jack. The auxiliary jackbutts 44 enter on path A and the pattern jack butts 32' enter on path A.The uppermost butts 32 follow paths indicated for ease of comparisonimmediately below the paths of the auxiliary jack butts.

During this type of patterning cams 106 and 107 are out of action butcam 10@ is in action. The selecting cam 114 which is at a level at whichit might engage butts 32 is out of action.

When the pattern jacks reach the position of the cams u 114, those whichhave butts 32 at the level of active cams 114 are depressed by theactions of such cams so that their lowermost butts 32 follow the path B.The auxiliary jacks are correspondingly pulled downwardly and theirbutts 44 follow the path B. When a butt 44 following this path B reachescam 116 it is raised by that cam. At this time the butt 32 of thecorresponding pattern jack is located below the horizontal cam 104 withthe result that the pattern jack cannot follow the upward movement ofthe auxiliary jack. As a result projection 46 of the auxiliary jack ispulled upwardly out of notch 38, the pattern jack yielding outwardly topermit this disengagement, and when the rise of butt 44 over cam 116 iscompleted, the projection 40 will be located in notch 36. The butts 44and 32 accordingly follow respectively the paths C and C'.

The butt 32 next engages the cam 105 whereby it is lowered to D. Theauxiliary jack is simultaneously pulled down so that its butt 44 reachesthe position D. Butt 32 is then raised by cam 111 to the position E andthe auxiliary jack butt 44 is raised to the path E. The auxiliary jackbutt 44 is then lowered by cam 120 to path F and the pattern jack butt32 is correspondingly lowered to path F'. But 44 will then he below thehorizontal portion of cam 12% while butt 32 will be raised by cam 109 tothe position A. Since the auxiliary jack is restrained from upwardmovement, relative movement of the jacks again occurs, the pattern jackyielding to permit protection 4f? to move out of notch 36 and reenternotch 3S. The jacks are accordingly brought to their original relativepositions and to the initial paths.

1n contrast with the foregoing, a pattern jack which lacks butts 32 atthe levels of all active cams 114 will continue to move horizontallyfrom the initial position A of its butt 32 and this horizontal movementwill continue until butt 44 of its auxiliary jack is engaged by cam 118which was missed by the butts 44 following the path E in the case ofdownwardly selected pattern jacks. 'Ihe outts 44 which engage cam 118are lowered thereby to the level G and the butts 32 of correspondingpattern jacks are lowered to the level G. This lowering of any butt 32brings it into position to engage cam 103 whereby it is further loweredto position H', the corresponding auxiliary jack butt 44 being loweredto position H. Cam 189 is then engaged by the butt 32 and raises thebutt to the original level A while the corresponding auxiliary jack butt44 rises to the initial level A. It will be noted that in the lastmentioned path the auxiliary and pattern jacks are not relatively moved,the projection 40 of each remaining in a corresponding notch 38.

Upper sliders enter the right of Figure 2 with their lower butts atalternative levels and it will be most convenient to consider the pathsof the upper sliders starting with the position at which all of thelower butts 10 are at the same level above stitch cam 72. At this timethose sliders which are associated with pattern jacks who-se butts 32'are following path C will be engaged or substantially engaged by thelower ends of their pattern jacks. Considering such a slider, when thepattern jack is depressed by the action of cam 105, the correspondingslider is depressed so that its butt 10 is lowered to the level D2 atwhich it will engage cam 76, it being noted that cam 74 is at this timeinactive. After lowering by cam 76, the slider is raised successively bythe action of cam 7S on its butt 10, by the action of cam 79 on its butt8 and by the action of stitch cam 80 on its butt 10, the correspondingneedle taking yarn at the auxiliary feed. The slider then proceedshorizontally, passing cam 82, and entering the right of Figure 2,clearing selectively taking place either at cam 76, as already describedor at cam 84, as will be described, depending upon the selection of itspattern jack.

Considering now a slider which is associated with a pattern jack whichwas not selected, such a slider will pro ceed horizontally from itsposition over cam 72, passing cam 74. Its pattern jack will be raisedout of contact with its upper end. When its corresponding pattern jackis lowered to position G', it is brought into engagement orsubstantially into engagement with the slider. Then as the pattern jackis depressed by cam 108, the slider is correspondingly depressed so thatits butt 10 reaches the level Hz where it is in position to engage andbe further lowered by clearing cam 84. The slider then moveshorizontally entering the right of Figure 2 at the level below cam 84and it passes horizontally until its butt 10 is engaged and raised bycam 86, then further by cam 87, and nally by stitch cam 72, causing itsneedle to take yarn at the main feed.

The movements of the upper sliders and their corresponding needles mayhe summarized as follows:

A needle which is associated with a pattern jack downwardly selected bya cam 114 is cleared of its previous stitch at cam 76 and then takesyarn at the auxiliary feed, this clearing and taking of yarn occurringat the first passage of the needle past the auxiliary feed followingselection.

On the other hand, failure of downward selection of a pattern jack byany cam 114 does not make its effect felt on a corresponding needleuntil after that needle passes the main feed at welt level, followingthe selection, passes the auxiliary feed at welt level and is cleared atcam 84 and then takes yarn at the main feed. If, prior to this taking ofyarn at the main feed, its pattern jack has been downwardly selected, itwill then be immediately cleared by cam 76 and will take yarn at theauxiliary feed.

From the above it will be seen that selection involves taking of a yarnat the next passage of the selected needle past the auxiliary feed butnon-selection causes the needle to take yarn at the main feed only afterit rst passes the auxiliary feed. The result, due to the fact that theneedles carried by sliders in the lower cylinder are knitting two-feed,is the formation of stitches of different relationships to others at thetwo feeds by needles associated with sliders in the upper cylinder.

The sliders in the lower cylinder take conventional two-feed paths. Thesliders enter the right of Figure 2 at the cleared level, are depressedby cams 52 and 48 to cause their needles to take yarn and knit at themain feed, are cleared by cams 54 and 56, are depressed by cams 58 and60 to cause their needles to take yarn and knit at the `auxiliary feedand are then raised to clearing position by cams 62 and 64, all of thesecams acting on the upper butts 20 of the lower sliders. Two-feed frameknitting thus results.

The formation of links-links work in the leg and instep of a stocking isgenerally conventional except for the matter of selection effected bythe actions of cams 114 on the butts 32 of the pattern jacks.Considering first the transfers of needles from one cylinder to theother, during formation of the leg all of the needles are transferredduring each round of knitting from the lower cylinder sliders to theupper cylinder sliders by the successive actions of cams 88 and 90, thelower sliders being then lowered by the successive actions of cams 94and 96, the latter of which is in the lower full line positionillustrated in Figure 2. Under these conditions, cam 88 is in positionto engage all butts 20 of the lower sliders and cam is in position toengage all butts 22 of the lower sliders, the sliders thereby beingraised to the path I. In the formation of a plain sole, however, the cam88 is withdrawnso that it will only engage the long butts 20 of theinstep sliders, missing the shorter butts of the sole sliders.Accordingly, needles associated with sole sliders having all beentransferred to the lower cylinder before beginning the heel will not betransferred to the upper cylinder.

Links-links selections are made by selective transfer of needles fromthe upper cylinder to the lower cylinder after the upward transfer. Thistransfer is effected by the actions of cams 114 as will be more fullydescribed to bring the upper butts of the upper sliders into positionfor engagement by cam 100 for depression to transfer position indicatedat K. Before beginning the heel, the cam 98, which is out of actionduring the knitting of the leg, is brought into action for a few coursesto act on the long and medium upper butts 8 of the upper sliders, whichbutts are on the sliders of the sole series only. After the heel, theneedles associated with the sole sliders remain in the lower cylinder toknit the plain sole, at the end of which cam 98 is again brought intoaction to act on the short upper butts 8 of the instep sliders andtransfer their needles to the lower cylinder, where they remain withthose of the sole series until transfer again takes place at thebeginning of the next stocking.

There will now be described the novel aspects of selection by cams 114for links-links knitting making the use of these cams and the patternjacks consistent for both the Jacquard-type stitching and links-linkswork.

As will be evident from considering the paths of the upper slider buttsillustrated in Figure 2, the upper sliders for transfer must movesubstantially lower than any level involved in their movements duringJacquard-type work. Since a single circumferential point of selection isprovided, the desired situation is achieved by causing the selection forlinks-links work to take place with the pattern jacks in lower positionsthan those involved in selection for Jacquard-type work. In order toachieve this end, cam 166, previously inactive, is moved into action toengage butts 32 of the pattern jacksand this cam leads these butts to alevel for engagement and further depression by cam 108. Simultaneously,carri 109 is removed from action and, consequently, the butts 32' movehorizontally from the lower end of cam 10S and are further depressedbycam 11). The level of the pattern jacks thus attained is such that theirlower ends will be just above the upper ends of the upper sliders whichwill have been moved to cleared level by cam 84.

The pattern jacks are thus positioned with their butts 32 located threebutt levels below the level of these butts involved in Jacquard-typeknitting. As will be noted from Figure 2, the lowermost cam 114 is nowin position to engage the butt 32 immediately above a butt 32', and thecorresponding relationships of all of the butts 32 to the selecting cams114 has been shifted to the extent of the three butt levels justreferred to. Additionally considering that the pattern drum 124 may beshifted to bring pins 123 at different levels to cooperate with theselecting cam levers as compared with the levels involved inJacquardtype knitting, it will be evident that by proper allocation ofcertain alternate pattern drum pin levels to Jacquardtype knitting andcertain intermediate levels to links-links knitting, entirelyindependent patterns may `be controlled in the two instances. lnparticular the three `lowermost selecting cams including 114 and the twocams 114 therebelow, are now effective for links-links work, having beenineffective for use during Jacquard-type work. If a picot welt such aspreviously referred to as being described in the Bristow application wasto be made, the lowermost cam 114 would be removed and as beforementioned a cam corresponding to 107 would be required. Other levels ofthe selecting cams 114 land corresponding levels of butts 32 may be usedfor links-links control. Downward selection causes lowering of the butts32 along path I so that downward transfer of needles is effected by cammi? moving the slider butts 8 along -path K. The auxiliary jacks 44 takeno part in the links-links control but follow an inactive path which isnot illustrated.

During links-links knitting the knitting may take place at one or twofeeds or selectivelyl at, Afor example, two feeds in one cylinder andone feed in the other. The variations involved in this are, of course,controlled by selective manipulations of the movable `cams which are.involved in clearing, for example the cams 54 andf62 in the lower camseries and -cams 74 .and 82 in the upper cam series. Various effects`may thus be produced.

Various radially movabie cams have been referred to and it will beevident that their inward and outward movements may be accomplished inconventional fashion, by inward movements of cams against short buttsafter longer butts have passed and then by full inward movements aftershort butts have passed, with a reversal of these conditions when thecams are withdrawn, the cams being withdrawn iirst to miss short buttsand then after long butts have passed being moved completely outwardlyto miss long butts as well, and a similar action may take place ifmedium butts are involved with either long or short butts.

Figure 5 illustrates a type of sock produced in accordance with theinvention, this gure showing a childs anklet. The sock is generallyindicated at and comprises the Jacquard-type knit top 152 which isturned down to expose the patterning which is at the time of productionon the inside of the fabric. The links-links patterning is indicated at154 in the leg and at 158 in the instep. The heel formed in conventionalfashion is indicated at 156 and is followed by the plain sole 16thproduced as above indicated. The conventional toe formation is indicatedat 162. To indicate more particularly the stitch formation occurringduring the production of the top, the portion of the top surrounded bythe rectangle 164 in Figure 5 is diagrammatically indicated in Figure 6,the meeting point of the various diamonds 166, 16S, 17? and 172 beingthere diagrammed. The stitches indicated as formed of the white yarn at174 are those which are drawn from the yarn fed at the auxiliary feed,while the black stitches at 176 are those formed of yarn drawn at themain feed. lt will be noted that where the yarns are alternately drawnin a wale the stitches drawn at the auxiliary feed are traversed by twofloats, one oat of each of .the yarns at the two feeds. Two feedformation of the frame wales will be evident as well as single feedknitting of the rib wales where series of loops from the same feed areconcatenated. When the fabric is relaxed, the plain wales are hiddenwhen the turned-down cuff is viewed. Accordingly, in the region 166, forexample, the appearance would be substantially solid white, in region168 the appearance would be substantially solid black, while in theregions 170 and 172 a speckled or half tone appearance results. It willbe understood, of course, that Figure 6 is purely diagrammatic and that,actually, the stitches which are drawn would be substantially the samelength at both feeds. The fact that the face wales are concatenated inone direction and the back wales in the other direction gives rise tothe production of sharply defined areas of different or mixed colors asjust indicated.

While links-links work has been described, it will be evident thatsimpler ribbed designs may be readily produced.

What is claimed is:

l. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders,double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in saidcylinders engaging said needles, and devices for controlling saidsliders, said devices including pattern jacks mounted in one of saidcylinders, auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selectingmeans for said pattern jacks acting `to provide alternative positioningthereof and corresponding alternative positioning of their associatedauxiliary jacks, means effecting relative movements of said patternjacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, and meansthereafter acting on pattern jacks to eect selective positioning ofsliders.

2. ,A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders,double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in saidcylinders engaging said needles, and devices for controlling vsaidsliders, said devices including pattern jacks -mounted in one of saidcylinders, auxiliary jacks ,associated with said pattern jacks,selecting means for said pattern jacks acting to provide alternativepositioning thereof and corresponding alternative positioning of theirassociated auxiliary jacks, means efecting relative movements of saidpattern jacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning,said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks being formed for yieldinginterengagement to establish predetermined relative positions thereof,and means thereafter acting on pattern jacks to elfect selectivepositioning of sliders.

3. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders,double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in saidcylinders engaging said needles, means for feeding yarns to said needlesat two feed points, and devices for controlling said sliders, saiddevices including pattern jacks mounted in one of said cylinders,auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means forsaid pattern jacks acting to provide alternative positioning thereof andcorresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliaryjacks, means effecting relative movements of said pattern jacks andauxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, and meansthereafter acting on pattern jacks to effect selective positioning ofsliders to cause needles controlled thereby to take yarn at one or theother of said feed points.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders,double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in saidcylinders engaging said needles, means for feeding yarns to said needlesat two feed points, and devices for controlling said sliders, saiddevices including pattern jacks mounted in one of said cylinders,auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means forsaid pattern jacks acting to provide alternative positioning thereof andcorresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliaryjacks, means effecting relative movements of said pattern jacks andauxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, said pattern jacksand auxiliary jacks being formed for yielding interengagement toestablish predetermined relative positions thereof, and means thereafteracting on pattern jacks to effect selective positioning of sliders tocause needles controlled thereby to take yarn at one or the other ofsaid feed points.

5. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including a pair of jack elements associated withindividual needles, selective means for establishing alternativerelative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectivelymoving said jack elements in accordance with their relative positions toeffect control of associated needles, said jack elements being formedfor yielding interengagement to maintain temporary predeterminedrelative positions thereof.

6. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including a pair of jack elements associated withindividual needles, selective means for establishing alternativerelative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectivelymoving said jack elements simultaneously and in accordance with theirrelative positions to effect control of associated needles, said jackelements being formed for yielding interengagement to maintain temporarypredetermined relative positions thereof.

7. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices i11- cluding jacks having selection butts andassociated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams foracting on said butts, and means for alternatively positioning said jacksrelative to said selecting cams, so that a particular cam may act upondifferent butts of the same jack in accordance with said alternativepositioning.

8. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including jacks having selection butts andassociated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams foracting kon said butts, and means for alternatively positioning saidjacks relative to said needles at the time of selection to effectdifferent controls of the needles duev to the same type of action by aselecting carn on the jacks.

9. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including jacks having selection butts andassociated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams foracting on said butts, and means for alternatively positioning said jacksrelative to said selecting cams and relative to said needles at the timeof selection, so that a particular cam may act upon different butts ofthe same jack in accordance with said alternative positioning and effectdifferent controls of the needles due to the same type of action by aselecting cam on the jacks.

10. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, a pair of yarn feeding stations, eachinvolving an individual stitch cam, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including a pair of overlapping jack elementsassociated With individual needles, single selective means forestablishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, andmeans for selectively moving said jack elements in accordance with theirrelative positions to elect control of associated needles so thatneedles follow crossing paths from one of said feeding stations to theother due to selection by said single selective means.

1l. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independentneedles mounted in said support, a pair of yarn feeding stations, eachinvolving an individual stitch cam, and devices for controlling saidneedles, said devices including a pair of overlapping jack elementsassociated with individual needles, single selective means forestablishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, andmeans for selectively moving said jack elements in accordance with theirrelative positions to effect control of associated needles so thatneedles follow predetermined paths from one of said feeding stations tothe other due to selection by said single selective means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,019,396 Deans et al Oct. 29, 1935 2,025,463 Lombardi Dec. 24, 19352,127,178 Lawson Aug. 16, 1938 2,143,832 Leedham Jan. 10, 1939 2,258,569Holmes et al Oct. 7, 1941 2,286,805 Hurd et al. June 16, 1942 2,316,823Thurston Apr. 20, 1943 2,327,398 Bromley et al. Aug. 24, 1943 2,412,248Bristow Dec. 10, 1946 2,516,697 Haddad July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS387,612 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1933 413,042 Great Britain July 12, 1934426,276 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1935 892,162 France Ian. 3, 1944

